Exploring tensions between car drivers and road cyclists in Singapore

• Main Author: Sio, Alvan Jia Heng
• Other Authors: Nicholas Giles Aplin
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: DRNTU::Social sciences::Sociology::Social behavior
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/66498
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Cycling is growing in Singapore not only as a means of transport but also as a sport the most visible discipline being road cycling. The sport sees long distances covered and extended periods of time on the roads where cyclists inevitably encounter motorists. As the government takes measures to support cycling as a whole, the unique needs of road cyclists must be addressed, because there tends to be a blanket view of cyclists from society which misses the finer details of road cycling. To solve the tension between road cyclists and car drivers, the areas of concern must first be clearly documented and the root causes of these issues sieved out. This study interviewed six participants from three categories – car drivers, road cyclists and people who are both – to gather their experiences and opinions on the issue and derive themes from their account to understand the sources of tension. Key findings include a lack of understanding from drivers towards cyclists and that cyclists and drivers both exhibit selfish behaviours when on the roads. While the tension may appear pronounced in the media, the general sense from participants reflects a much less negative atmosphere which indicates the possibility of media sensation during national debates. The study is exploratory in nature and the limited use of participants makes for limited generalisability of the results and further research can be carried out on solutions to the tensions between road cyclists and car drivers.